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closeThe York County Council on Monday gave an initial OK to rezone 1,430 acres as part of a 2,300-acre development plan around Lake Wylie, Allison Creek and Crowders Creek that could ultimately bring a slew of new homes and offices to the area.
The vote came after the council heard from residents for and against the plan.
Below are some of the issues raised with the proposed development between the county, Crescent Resources and Allison Creek Partnership.
• Offices and houses would be built around the lake, with pockets of mixed-use, higher-density residential and commercial areas away from Lake Wylie.
• The bulk of the property surrounds Lake Wylie between S.C. 49 and 274. Two new roads are planned to connect to those routes on the 1,430 acres the planning commission conditionally approved last week. Up to 1,500 homes could be built on 600 acres of this property and Freightliner, now Dailmer Truck, could move part of its operations to this site.
• Another 400 acres on the south side of Crowders Creek between S.C. 49 and Bethel School Road could house a 50-acre recreational complex and one of two sites for Clover schools.
• The fourth site is 300 acres on Allison Creek Road that will be less-dense housing.
• A larger, 100-foot buffer would be established around Lake Wylie and other tributaries. Inside that buffer, there'll be trails and other green space, proposed to tie in with Carolina Thread Trail.
Phil Hayes with Crescent Resources said the plan will help to bring cohesiveness to the area because the plan calls for uniform development, but residents want to know the total number of houses and businesses that could come into the area.
York resident Terry Spencer is afraid he'll see apartment complexes instead of woods near his Fox Trail Road residence.
"I'm hearing a lot, but not hearing any definite things," Spencer said. "I can't believe Crescent doesn't know how many units they can get on it with the amount of study that has gone into this project. It's a reasonable request."
He's also worried about the amount of traffic this will bring to S.C. 49.
S.C. 274 is being widened to five lanes as a Pennies for Progress project, but no plans for upgrades on S.C. 49 are in the works.
Protecting Lake Wylie, its tributaries and its area wildlife is important to Councilman Rick Lee and Lake Wylie Lakekeeper Ellen Goff.
Lee said the plan appears to lack means to protect the lake and asked county staff to report back on how the plan will address issues such as shoreline protection, storm water and sediment issues.
Goff said she thinks the plan is moving in the right direction, but wants to make sure the development is all it promises to be.
Cynthia Maveri, who lives near the development, said she doesn't see how having an office building surrounding the end of Big Allison Creek is good for the environment, citing the wildlife refuge in the area.
"I keep hearing people say it could be a lot worse with what it's zoned (currently)," Maveri said. "Obviously there are other options; it's not this or that."
A woman whose family has lived in the area for more than 200 years said the plan appears to balanced and well thought out.
"Whether we like it or not, it will be developed," said Johnnie Wilder of Handsmill Road. "Having a mixed use, carefully planned development is more preferable."
Bill Stiles, one of the Republican opponents of Councilman Tom Smith, said he's in favor of the development because of the continuity it will bring to the area.
"It's very important that we have the opportunity to control and manage the development," he said.
He said he lives about two miles from the development and will be impacted by property value increase and flow of new jobs brought in by the plan.
The plan allows office buildings to be as tall as 80 feet, and resident Philip Friedman said he's concerned about the amount of parking a building that size would need.
Friedman also is concerned about the amount of open space in the plan. He said it seemed like most of the open space fell in the 100-foot buffer around Lake Wylie, which he said makes the amount of proposed green space misleading.
Other residents said they'd like to see access to the lake for recreation on this plan and are worried about the amount of land between proposed new roads and their property.
The county's zoning committee will review the plan before the council votes on the rezoning again. There will be another public hearing before the development agreement is given final approval. County Manager Jim Baker said the county could consider having a workshop on the plan.
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